August 2009/1

The C tranche of State Farm’s 2007 Merna Re transaction and the Swiss Re-sponsored Vega Capital’s class A and B notes have been upgraded by Moody’s Investors Service and Standard

A seepage of asbestos claims into Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd (OCIL)’s loss-stricken excess liability cat bond, Avalon Re, has thrown into question the valuation of its August tender offer to re

Risk Management Solutions (RMS) estimates a reduction of up to 35 percent in insured loss estimates for Californian earthquake, following a revision of its North American earthquake model this month.

As predicted in July, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) lowered its ratings on four tranches of USAA’s Residential Reinsurance 2007, upon receipt of the annual reset reports from AIR Worldwide. In

Swiss Re fell back into the red for the second quarter, as worse-than-expected mark-to-market losses and writedowns returned to haunt the reinsurer. Meanwhile, Hannover Re and Munich Re fared well in

Moody’s Investors Service has maintained the ratings for Bank of Ireland’s 2007 life ILS Avondale Securities on review for possible downgrade. Moody’s said it’s review of the